“When it’s too hard to look behind at the past
and it’s too difficult to look forward to the future
look to the side and you will see a friend.”
Judith Baxter, blogger and friend 1938 –
It is the end of a long, hard day here and wrung out describes exactly how I feel.
I have a couple of friends with major problems in their lives at present and usually I feel honoured that they can confide in me, knowing that even if I can’t help I will listen.
Well today started off well – a lazy Sunday morning, a cup of tea in bed, conversation and breakfast with a friend and then a telephone call that set the pace and the terms for the rest of the day.
My friend is hurt and angry at the way her children are behaving and unfortunately, there is nothing I can do or say to help her. I just have to be there for her.
So having arrived home I am going to curl up with a good book and after reading Jackie Cangro’s Friday Five Post in which she told us
“ This is my all-time favorite comfort meal: grilled cheese and tomato soup. It’s quick and easy to make and tastes oh-so-good. And I always feel happy when I eat it. Sometimes I doctor the soup and add herbs or veggies, as I did here, but I also love plain Jane tomato soup. Some purists insist on only cheddar cheese in the sandwich, but I like to get fancy. Fontina, gouda, mozzarella? Bring it on. soup and a cheese sandwich for dinner and tomorrow my world will be back on an even keel again.”
I am going to open a can of chicken soup (sorry Jackie no tomato soup on hand and too bushed to get in the car and drive to the supermarket). With the soup I shall have a toasted cheese sandwich. Maybe not what the nutritionists would approve but for this ‘wrung out’ elderly lady it is exactly what is needed. So thank you Jackie.
And tomorrow as Jackie says, my world too will be back on an even keel and I shall be ready to lend a helping/listening ear to my very good friend.
Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.
Lao Tzu
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- Perfect Comfort Food (vibrantlyvegan.com)
I choose how I will spend the rest of my life 
I hope the soup and sandwich fortify you with the energy needed to be a good friend for another day. Sometimes carrying burdens for a friend can be exhausting, but not nearly as exhausting as watching them struggle on their own.
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Thanks Janna. They certainly did fortify me and I had an early night and slept like a log.
Thanks for the comment:)
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I love the picture of the two ladies sharing a bottle of wine, it’s a wonderful picture … and a wonderful thought. Sleep well, dream nice things, and wake up refreshed for tomorrow. 🙂
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Thanks Sallayann. I did sleep well and dreamed of nice things. Am now ready to face the world again. 🙂
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One of the great things about women friends is that – unlike men friends – they will listen and empathise, and not necessarily try to find solutions. That is what most of us need, and what you are providing. Hurrah for tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches!
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We are lucky as women to have these friends who will listen and just be there for us. I know when my husband died that is what I needed most.
The comfort food did the trick and I am now ready to face the world again. 🙂
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The world is bless to have generous and loving friends like you. Sometimes all our friends need is someone to be there for them , to listen to the cry and pains of their heart. Life is full of trials and sometimes they are so hard to carry when we are by ourselves. I wish your friends the best. I hope their problems will fade away soon. There is always hope for as long as we are alive. God bless you always. Thank you for being giving and kind.
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Thank you for the comment. I love it when my ranting on the blog touches the hearts of other people. I have spoken to my friend already this morning, 8.00 am, and she seems a little more settled than she was yesterday. 🙂
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Nothing beats a grilled cheese with either tomato or chicken noodle soup…something so comforting about eating the foods we ate as children!
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We always called them nursery foods but I like comfort foods better. Thanks. 🙂
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I so need a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup as well today. Just got back from cleaning out my mom’s apartment in Alberta and making sure she is settled into the retirement home OK. I feel so wrung out as you say. Lots of sorting out, boxing up, delivering to people and taking to goodwill. Some hard decisions to make, lots of wonderful memories and a few tears of course. Am warming the pan as we speak.
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Oh Darlene, how very hard for you. I missed out on those chores and left them to my sister in London. I do feel for you and hope that the soup and sandwich worked wonders.
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Those are favorite foods of mine, too, and they do complement each other so well. Other’s burdens do wear heavily on us if we let them, stealing our joy. Tomorrow is a new day.
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Yes Patti tomorrow is always another day and now ‘tomorrow’ has arrived. The soup and sandwich did the trick and I am ready to face the world again. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
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Grilled cheese and tomato soup are my go-to comfort foods, too. I hope the soup and sandwich brought you comfort as well as nourishment. 🙂
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Thanks Robin – I certainly needed the comfort more than the nourishment. But all is well now and life is back on an even keel again. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
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a moment of much needed self-care. good on you!
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Thanks Joss and I was in bed, hot blanket on, with a good book shortly after 8pm.
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that combo brings back memories of the old days when I was a kid and mom cooked for me! Thanks for a good, comfort-food, sincere friend post. Hope you enjoyed your sandwich and soup!
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Yes Judy – I really did enjoy my comfort food and followed it with an early night with a good book. Fantastic – felt a new woman this morning.
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Yet another reason why a blogging community is such a wonderful community for which to have access. I am touched by the fact you took Jackie’s words to heart and had yourself some soup and a sandwich.
You never know what words, pictures, stories or recipes will touch a friend. I’m glad you found sunshine when you were feeling wrung out.
Your quote about looking to the side is brilliant.
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Thanks Lenore – you are one of the friends I have found in the blogging community. And I am glad you like my quote. 🙂
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